Taster

Nose: Furniture polish, treacle sponge and warm spicy dried fruit notes of raisins, candied peel, cinnamon snap biscuit, blackcurrant jam and sweet barbeque notes. Red apple skin and chopped walnut.

Palate: Slightly sweet smoke coming from the cask, then peaches in syrup with cinnamon and clove spice. Treacle drizzled over freshly baked fruit loaf and a mossy note. Pear drop and icing sugar.

Finish: Mossy and sweet for a short-medium finish.

Comment: This is really enjoyable, I like the spirit-forward notes and the burnt sugar element.

Score: 7.8

Taster

Nose: Cola cube and black treacle. Cinnamon toast and raspberry jam. Plum wine. Delicate clove and cinnamon. Subtly herbal notes of sage and tarragon. Horlicks malt drink. Delicately resinous.

Palate: Medium-light body. More cola bottle candies and milk chocolate (high-sugar, low cocoa solids kind). Sweet black tea and maple syrup on buttermilk pancakes.

Finish: Sweet but relatively short.

Comment: The nose promises more than the palate gives, but still a nicely pleasing dram. It’ll be popular at parties.

Score: 7.6